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Mom’s and Dad’s this one is for you and I am going to blow your mind right now!!! What if I told you there was a new vacuum on the market that could mop your floors while at the same time picking up the schmutz (Yiddish for dirt) at the same time???

Bissell reached out to me before the Holidays to introduce me to their new Crosswave Wet and Dry Multi-Surface Cleaner and offered me to test it. I figured, what-the-hell, I am constantly sweeping my floors why not give it a shot. Now I have to tell you, this is no ordinary vacuum product, this is the creme-de-la-creme.

First, let me tell you it does not come assembled. That being said, it is so easy to set up. It took about 5 minutes to put together with reading the directions. Next, it comes with a sample bottle of the cleaning solution which you pour into the vacuum bottle (this is fool proof because it shows you with markings how much water to put in and how much of the liquid solution you put in). Last, plug it in and away you go.

So a few things I want to note: as you saw above, you need to plug it in. I mean, it’s definitely not the end of the world considering I have plugs EVERYWHERE in my house, but I know there is a preference for wireless. The silver lining, you don’t have to worry about a dead battery 🙂 The second thing I wanted to note was that it is not very light. Not that you are lifting it, but for those who hang their vacuum’s in a broom closet, this is not going to be one of those. The silver lining, I don’t second guess the quality of the product.

Now that is out of the way, I quite liked cleaning with the Crosswave.

What I liked about the Bissell Crosswave

There is a trigger to use when you want to use the wet portion and there are two buttons on the top to put the vacuum on carpet cleaning mode or hardwood floor mode

The head of the vacuum maneuvers quite nicely with it’s swivel steering

I put it to the test with rice that was all over my floor and normally vacuums can’t pick it up, but with the wet wash, we had no problems

It keeps dirty water separate from the clean water with it’s two tank system

Are you ready to see what the must-have toys of the season are? We (yes “we” does include me) had a lot of fun testing out the newest toys for the Holidays and I am excited to finally let you know what they are. Brace yourself there are A LOT that we loved and want to share! All these toys were sent to me for review and I have hand picked our favorites.

NHL AirPuck (3+)This is going to be a HUUUUUGE hit this season!!!!
The amount of marks and dents I have on my wall in the basement from hockey pucks/balls hitting it is my new kind of normal. My big guy started playing hockey 5 or 6 years ago and used to practice shots in the basement with my husband. It wasn’t until a puck ALMOST hit my little guy in the head that I stopped it. There is a solution!!!! The brand new NHL AirPucks have protective foam padding around it so it won’t damage walls. Turn it on and it lights up and hovers over smooth surfaces. This actually makes playing hockey fun for my 5 year old.Side Note: it does not come with batteries so make sure you have it accessible (4 x AA)

Where to Buy: Party Rock $25

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MGA Entertainment’s Ready2Robot Battle Pack (4+)A gift within a gift within a gift within a gift!!! Just when you think you got your toy, there is a blind box that the kids unwrap (parents get the scissors out for this one) and it reveals different parts of the second battle robot which the little one’s assemble (don’t worry, it’s easy to put together). What really made my little guy laugh was that he had to stick his fingers into a little container of gooey slime to get the little character that goes onto the top of the robot! If you want a stocking stuffer or to collect more, you can buy the blind boxes separate.Note: Make sure to open all three areas of the chamber to get all robot parts.

MGA Entertainment’s Crate Creature Flingers (4+)Brake the crate to let your creature free! We can’t seem to get enough of these little guys (i’m a sucker for a not-so-scary monster). Not only are they cute, but you pull their tongue and they say funny things and best of all (what gets the kids laughing), they belch. For the parents (like myself) that dislike toys that just randomly talk when they aren’t being touched, this is not one of them and there is an off button on the back. These are great as a stocking stuffer or as a smaller gift (he is about the size of my hand)Note: they come in larger furry creatures

Flushin Frenzy – Pop the Poop by Mattel (5+)Talk about getting a laugh, this game is a MUST have for the Holidays!!!! I mean, what child wouldn’t love a game with a flying poop. Yup, you heard me: roll the dice and plunge the toilet as many times as the dice shows to unleash the flying poop. The first person to grab it or catch it in the air gets a coin. The first person to get the most coins wins (it’s just that easy).

Hydro Strike by Pressman Toys (7+)So first off this game totally reminds me the old school pinball games but mini version. My big guy really liked this one and that says a lot since he doesn’t really play games anymore with me 🙁 Fill the two little containers on the side with water, drop a ball down ramp and try to keep it out of your zone. If the ball gets through your zone, the game will squirt you. Not to worry parents who don’t like a mess, it’s just a little squirt but since they are little it gets them bang on (hence why he took his shirt off) LOL.

Grossery Gang Bug Strike (5+)Back 5 years ago, my older son was introduced to Grossery Gangs by his cousin. My mini has since taken over his collection and we have a bin … yes a BIN full of Grossery Gangs. The newest line is called Grossery Gang Bug Strike and they are little rubbery creatures that kids can collect. The best way to describe these is that they are the boy version of Shopkins. The best part is that they come in little toilets which you add water to (before you open it) and when the kids break the seal (no pun intended) it is filled with a yellow bubbly substance with the figures inside (you dump it out after – it’s just for giggles).
They come in smaller toilet packs (great for stocking stuffers) and larger packs (great for the bigger presents), as well as a lot of garbage trucks and motor bikes the kids use the little figures with.

Where to Buy: Toys R Us, Price ranges from $3.99 – $24.99 for the packs

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Flik Flak WatchA few years ago, my big guy was learning to tell the time so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to buy him a watch. First stop, the Swatch booth at Yorkdale (their kids line is called Flik Flak)! We were offered a chance to check out Flik Flak’s new line of watches and my mini was so excited because he was finally getting a watch. They both have not taken them off since. This year they are offering really great patterned and textured bands great for their little audiences and their older audiences.

DC Super Friends HeroDrive Batman Racer by Funrise (3+)Calling all Superhero fans! Little one’s are going to love these racers, with lights and sounds they are sure to please those curious little minds. I thought they might be too young for my mini but he has been playing with them using his little superhero figures that we have. There are a lot of options in this new line: the Signal Squad cars have a signal light that illuminates on walls and retail for $12.99, from the Mash Machines which make sounds and have flashing lights retail for $9.99 and lastly the ultimate Batman Racer has lights, engine sounds and music which retails for $29.99. The added bonus, all come with batteries!!!

Where to Buy: Toys R Us and Home Hardware

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Professor Maxwell’s 4D Chef’s KitThis is neat!!! Now that it’s getting colder out, parents are always looking for indoor things to do with their kids and this is a great activity! Cooking brought to life. Download the app onto your phone, insert your phone into the virtual reality glasses then look at one of the recipes and Professor Maxwell comes to life introducing your child to the recipe and he even explains the science behind the food. Look at all the steps and it activates “how to” videos. Note: this product DOES NOT come with the food, but it does come with all the utensils (measuring cups, cutting board, spatula, measuring spoons, apron, hat and much more!Side Note: the VR glasses were too heavy for my mini to wear so he lost interest

Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty (8+)Remember the days when putty was only a beige colour and came in an egg and we thought it was the coolest thing ever? Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty has completely changed putty and it can’t get any cooler. You name it, they have it. Everything from: sparkly putty, magnetic putty, hypercolour putty, unicorn putty, glow-in-the-dark putty, scented putty to name a few. When my kids saw these, they begged me to open them. One was the Strange Attractor Putty which is magnetic (which they were fascinated with) and Super Fly Putty which is an illusion putty. What they were even MORE excited about was the Mixed by Me Thinking Putty Kit which they create their own heat sensitive putties and even make their own tin labels. This one makes for a great rainy day activity – my new go-to birthday gift! I love that it’s non-toxic and made in the USA.Side Note: the tin can be hard to open, I had to use a fork to separate the tin (part of the putty was under the lid which is why it was sealed as tight as it was)

Tic Tac Tongue by Yulu (4+)This is a very easy game that the whole family can play. Put the tongue through the frogger face mask, attach the mouth cap to it (easier to clean), insert the number images into the little stands, put them randomly in a row and begin the game. The object of the game is to get the most cards in your colour by choosing the correct number shown and knocking it down with your frogger tongue. This game is perfect for the little one’s who are learning to recognize numbers, plus they loved blowing out the tongue!Side note: the kids loved the face mask but I had a really hard time with having my face covered

LeapFrog LeapStart Learning SystemThis is fabulous learning tool that is actually a fun way for kids to learn! My recommendation: purchase some books right off the bat. First you are going to need to charge your LeapStart Book then download the audio for the books you have purchased by going to the leapfrog web page. If you want to know which books are suitable for your kids, you can go online and see what they offer by grade. Once that is all done, your little one takes the pen that is included with the LeapStart and tap on all different points of the book and it will read/say what you have touched. There are different icons at the bottom of some of the pages, those will guide you to different activities/challenges/problem solving etc that your mini can do throughout the book. Up next for us, the beginner learn-to-read series! Big fan.

HexBug Ring Racer (8+)I feel like this is the kind of product I would walk right by at a toy store (probably because it’s small), but now that we have tested it out, that would have been a mistake! Out of allllll the toys we have gotten to test, this is the only one that caused a fight because they both were fighting over who got to play with it. So first, let me recommend BUY TWO if you have two kids. They can battle it out together and create their own unique stunts (my kids had it fly down the stairs)! The HexBug Ring Racer tumbles, spins and flips over 360 degrees using the little controller. There are two speed settings: regular and fast mode. Best of all, the batteries are rechargeable so no need to go through a ton of batteries. Just make sure to charge it before you give it to them (it comes with a cord and charges pretty quickly).

There are two more toys that I wanted to show you as I thought they would be great for the Holidays, however I did not test them so I can not review them, BUT I am going to purchase them for my kids if that helps 🙂

A. Crate Creatures: I have the Crate Creature Flingers which made my list but this is the larger version that is plush and makes tons of hilarious noises that kids just love! Plus you have to break them out their crate which is always fun for kids
B. Kerplunk Game: A game that would be great for both of my kids to play. Carefully pull out the sticks but don’t pull the the wrong one otherwise all the balls will fall.

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!!!!Just in time for the Holidays, we are giving away (1) Hydro Strike game to (1) lucky reader! This contest is open to Canada and US residents. Here’s how to enter:

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!Thanks to our friends at Stortz Toys, they are offering (1) lucky reader a chance to win (1) NHL AirPuck (your team choice). This contest is open to Canadian residents only. Here’s how to enter:a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: all items were sent to me for review. Opinions are strictly my own

I have to say that these girls who created The Bath Kneeler, they get it!

I remember moving into my new house over 5 years ago and instead of decorating it with adult type beautiful pieces, I made everything into a baby/toddler zone. Instead of an end table next to my couch, I had a pack n’ play (my logic: those who were sitting next to it, could put their drink on the bassinet). Instead of a carpet, I put those heinous bright coloured puzzle alphabet mats down (my logic: if the baby barfs or someone spills it was easy to wipe up), toy bins were in every corner because who wants to run to the freezing basement every five minutes and bathrooms were filled with squishy water toys and Avengers bath mats (no logic there, I was limited in my options).

Fast forward 5 years and now I have an end table beside my couch and a real carpet in my living room but the one thing I couldn’t shake were those damn Avengers bath mats and squishy bath toys in all our bathrooms.

As I scour Instagram, I have to say that I am kind of jealous that the baby products on the market are getting fancier, more high tech to make moms/dads life easier and simply prettier. I follow a company called The Pieces on Instagram, not because I need their mats (I am sorta past this stage in my life), but because I absolutely love what they have created: gorgeous (yes I am using the word gorgeous to describe a kids product) play mats that I wish were around when I had a baby.

Yesterday, I saw on their Instagram that they announced their newest product called The Bath Kneeler and yet again wished it was around when my kids were little because not only are they extremely useful but they are soooooo pretty! Of course I instantly thought I could somehow use this in my bathroom in front of our sinks but sadly they are just a little too small for that (hopefully they come up with this because I would buy them in a heart beat).

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by hydraSense® all opinions and views are my ownTo make sure hydraSense® products are right for you, always read and follow the label.

When you think of winter time, what are the first words that come to mind … darkness, cold, gloomy and sickness are mine.

Top of that list is sickness, it happens the minute the temperature begins to change. I start hearing sniffling, sneezing and coughing around my house and that’s when the tissues, wipes and sprays come out. There really is nothing worse than watching your little one’s sad because they are achy, tired and they can’t breathe because their noses are all stuffed up.

After my little guy was born, 1 week later he got a cold (not shocking considering his brother was constantly sick and in his face staring at him, in fact I am pretty sure I remember him sneezing right on his newborn baby brother). The poor little thing was so stuffed up and I was beside myself because he couldn’t sleep. I knew there were saline products that I could buy, but I was too scared to use them on this tiny little being given his nose was the size of a peanut. After a few sleepless nights, I was fed up and went to the pharmacy and picked up a bottle of hydraSense Ultra-Gentle Mist Spray (why I chose that brand over many of the others: for one I knew the brand name and secondly there was a baby right on the package so I guess I figured I couldn’t have gone wrong) and a hydraSense Nasal Aspirator kit with the Easy Dose Vials. I handed it to a family member and begged her to do it for me because I was too scared … after all the aspirator is a little intimidating when using it for the first time. You can online imagine what I was thinking when I was looking at it.

After a few minutes of tears (him not me), he was no longer stuffed up and a happy kid again. The next day when he needed to be cleared up again, I decided I was going to take matters into my hands and use the aspirator. Don’t judge, but listening to the sound of what was coming out of his nose at that given moment gave me such gratification because I knew how uncomfortable he felt (we have all been there) and he would be happy within a matter of minutes.

After a dose of hydraSense

When he was a little older (and not so newborn), I started to use the Nasal Ultra-Gentle Mist Spray on him which I tried on myself first just to get an idea of the feeling and how strong the pump mist was and he took it like a champ!

Why I love hydraSense– hydraSense helps reduce and relieve nasal congestion caused by a cold
– it is has a gentle mist
– it can be used 4-6 times a day when baby’s nose is blocked
– a simple yet effective solution to help your sick little one
– the solution is 100% natural-sourced undiluted seawater
– my unhappy baby instantly smiled minutes after using it on him (that’s worth everything)
– the spout is thin for easy placement

For more information on hydraSense click here
For a How to use video click here

Happy Baby, Happy Mama
xo

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by hydraSense® all opinions and views are my ownTo make sure hydraSense® products are right for you, always read and follow the label.

This is by far my favorite time of year … not so much the weather (snow sucks period the end), but it’s when all the new, hottest toys for 2017/2018 are released and I get to touch, feel, test/play and best of all I get to share my top favorites with everyone and offer some REALLY great giveways … WOOHOO!!!

What I want everyone to know most importantly is that I have NOT been paid to review any of these toys. I am simply receiving the products for my kids to test out and those that we think are great are included in my post. Now we have gotten that out of the way, let’s begin!

This is 100% the toy of the year!!!! I can’t tell you who had more fun with this toy, my kids or me?! The product does not require any kind of battery (added bonus) and has minimal assembly. If I have one piece of advice for this toy, I would highly recommend reading the directions as to how to make the Oonies before showing your kids because once they see it they will attack it (speaking from experience). What I loved about this is that there are so many applications for Oonies. My mini (who is 4) spent over an hour creating little creatures many of which he brought to bed with him and my older son (who is 7) was playing a game throwing them at windows and those that stuck would get a point. The balloons have a film on them that makes them stick to each other and comes with all sorts of accessories to put feet, ears, arms, eyes, noses, mouths etc and use your imagination to create fun creatures. If you wondering what happens when you run out of the little balloon beads, you can buy refill packs.

This is probably one of the funniest games I have played to date with my family! My kids were legitimately belly laughing because of how funny both my big guy and I looked and talked when we had the mouth piece in. I couldn’t stop laughing because at the end of his turn his shirt was wet from drooling so much (i’m even laughing writing this). Each game comes with child size and adult sized mouth pieces, child and adult cards which are phrases that you each have to guess and a timer. Guess the phrase right and you get a card! The person with the most cards at the end wins … it’s just that easy!

Where to Buy: Amazon.ca
Price: $13.88 ON SALE (they even offer Prime shipping)

Spinners are the biggest craze right now and they certainly have come a long way since the first one came out! Yes I get it, a spinner is a spinner is a spinner, BUT these one’s were actually really cool! Not only can you get them with patterned lights, but you can stack them and create crazy light shows with them and test your true ability to be a spin-master. What’s the difference: Spin Circuits have over 20 different cool light patterns, Spinzipz has only two arms and a single pattern of light and Spinbladez has multi-colour lights but when combined with the Spinzipz using the included double sided spin pin, they make a mesmerizing light show. I have to say the Spin Circuit was mesmerizing and somehow quite calming (weird), maybe every parent should have one of these! 😉

Go big or go home! Well I wasn’t wrong about this toy, I had a feeling my mini (who is superhero obsessed) would go mental over this and I was not incorrect. This is the ultimate Spider-man city where Spider-man can hang from a crane, climb up and down ladders, go through secret doorways and swing down around a building. Two major things to note here: the city does NOT come with a Spider-man which was not a big deal for us because I feel like I have a million of them (make sure to buy a mini one if you don’t already have one in the house) and it comes unassembled with A LOT of parts! I did not find this hard to put together as the parts are all numbered and the directions were straight forward, but if you are going to give this as a gift, I would recommend putting it together at night and putting a bow on it for the morning. This was a big win in my house!

This is the ultimate DVD gift pack that was just released in time for the holidays! 56 Episodes on 10 DVDs – that’s every mini fan’s dream in 1 location. Need a few minutes to yourself (or 13 hours), grab a disc, pop it into the DVD player, grab a coffee and put your feet up. These are episodes my mini hasn’t seen before, so needless to say he was quite excited.

Yes this game is as cool as it looks!!! I have to give it to Hasbro, this is probably one of the most unique games I/we have ever played! If you child loves music than this is definitely something you want to get for him/her. I like to think of this as the modern day turntable where you can mix up songs and add beats by adding and exchanging cards. There are three ways to play this: freestyle, clash and party .. we have only tried freestyle so I can’t comment on the others, but for the younger one’s this is probably the best route to go. Download the FREE DropMix app, take the tour to learn how the game works and start mixing it up. Songs include: Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Sia, The Weeknd and many more. It starts with you laying down the first card which will be your base song. Each card has a colour in the top left and you want to correspond that colour with the colour on the board (don’t worry for the little one’s if they don’t follow that, they just love that they are their own dj and making the mixes on their own). It is recommended for ages 16+, but my son who is 7 had the best time playing with this and brings it out for all his play-dates.

Batteries are NOT included … I repeat NOT included so make sure you have some handy.

Where to Buy: Amazon.ca (bonus it offers Prime) or Toys R Us
Price: $99.97 (it’s on sale right now from $129.99)

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Beados Teeneez #GIVEAWAY

A true instance where you don’t judge a book by it’s cover! Although the packaging is geared toward girls, my older son had fun making designs with these (he made one for his girlfriend at school). Now I don’t recommend these for younger kids as the beads are Teeny and would be very hard for their little hands, but the older kids would definitely love this. There are different packages to choose from: Teenez 4 Colour Pen Starter Pack, Teenez Designer Studio and Teenez Refill Pack. Each pack comes with little design sheets to put under the plastic bead casing and an assortment of coloured beads. No oven necessary, just spray the made design with water, wait 20 minutes and its good to go. You can make jewelry (comes with a bracelet to attach designs to) or for the boys make something to hang off your bag or give to someone else.

Tonka Tinys Rescue Response Playset
Great for little hands, Tonka Tinys Rescue Response Playset brings kids imaginations to life and best of all at their level! Launch the trucks down 1 of 4 ramps (one of which is the ultimate gravity ramp that makes your truck fly) and store the little trucks in the garage storage so there are no lost pieces and tears over not finding them! You will be happy to hear there is very little assembly which is always helpful 🙂

Where to Buy: Toys R Us and Walmart.ca
Price: $39.99

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Zuru Mayka Tape

Here’s a neat concept! It’s tape that you can cut and shape into anything you want it to be and is compatible with Lego products. We like to build cars with our Lego in my house, so why not make a really cool ramp or city with your Mayka tape or if your kiddos are true Lego fans, you can make their room into a cool Lego city by adhering the tape to their walls and attaching their Lego designs to it. Cool right?! You can see how my imagination has blown up with this one.

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I can not say enough good things about this product, honestly!! This was a product I was not sent to test, I purchased this a while back as I heard great things and they were certainly not wrong! This is one of those games that are educational through the parents eyes, but just a really fun toy through the child’s eyes – I like to call that a win-win for all. I purchased the genius kit which included the base and mirror for the iPad, a Numbers game, a Word game and a Tangram game. Additionally, I purchased what happens to be my kids favorite game of all, the Monster game where your little one can choose what he/she wants to draw (it offers you categories) on the included creative board (set comes with bright coloured erasable chalk markers and a big pouch which you use as the eraser). Osmo Monster brings it life by “pick it up” and magically puts it on the screen with him and roll plays with it, take a look at the picture below! The kids REALLY got a kick out of this (frankly so did I). I recently bought Coding Awbie which is a coding game. You direct Awbie using the physical coding command blocks and direct him on the strawberry eating adventure. I truly think this is one of the best toys you could buy your child this holiday season!
Where to Buy: Amazon.ca
Price: Normally $129.99 (prime) but right now my link shows $99.99 on SALE!

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Operation Escape Game #GIVEAWAY
Have you ever done an escape room? If you have, how much did you have! If you haven’t here’s a chance to play a fun game with your older kids while getting the child version of an escape room?! You are given 3 tasks and you have to complete them (even more fun with 4+ people) in order to get the captured player free before the timer runs out. The other thing I think is great about this game is that there are different levels of difficulty, so if you think it’s too easy … try again buy upping your level allowing you to play multiple times. This is definitely a game for kids 6+ and also something fun for the kids to do when you have a play date over.
Where to Buy: Toys R Us (don’t use Amazon for this one – it’s crazy expensive)
Price: $39.99a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Little Live Pets

Do your kids bug you constantly for a pet??? It seems to be a common theme in my house, at least once a week one of my kids are asking me for a pet so this was the perfect toy to give them! Meet Lollipop, he is our new bird (we also have a white one named Hatchy not pictured here, he didn’t like the camera). Want to know what’s so wonderful about these pets, they walk around, don’t poop on the floor and when you are done with them, just flick the switch to “off” – BEST PET EVER! You can buy the birds separate, however each habitat/cage comes with one, hold it in your hand and the egg opens to reveal your new bird friend.

If you have a Disney fan out there and need a little stocking stuffer, here is a great idea! These cute collectibles offer over 100 characters (from Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Mickey Mouse and Friends, Lion King, Toy Story, Finding Nemo and more) and the fun part about the chat bubbles is that you don’t know what you are getting so it makes it even more exciting for your little one’s (my mini has an obsession with blind bags lately). We talk in emoticons so why wouldn’t our little one’s! Two f the packs have a hidden surprise character.

So first off, I am going to start by telling you I truly DISLIKE balloons (I was going to use the word “hate” but I have my big guy in my head telling me “hate” is not a nice word which is often what I say to him – how about that for throwing it back in my face!).

Why such a weird dislike? Simply, they pop and when they pop it scares the living s%*t out of me because it’s always so unexpected. For some reason, I feel like I am not alone with this one … at least I am hoping I am not.

I was offered the opportunity to try out this “blast explosion” game (FYI I was not paid to test out the game and review it) and I had to think about it simply because of this irrational fear of popping balloons and let’s be honest here: the title “blast explosion” kind of worried me, but I took a chance since I love family gaming time.

Well I can now report that for those parents that hate the sound of popping balloons that the title “blast explosion” is slightly dramatic and the popping noise is so minimal and very contained WOOHOO!

How to Play: each player inflates 1 balloon each with the included inflator (my kids loved this part)Side Note: the kit comes with a bunch of balloon clips which I will admit I didn’t really pay attention too thinking they were part of the game some way and I spent A LOT of time trying to tie these teeny tiny balloons with my large mommy fingers and was annoyed with how difficult it was – well I found out the hard way, there was a reason for those clips 🙂

Place the balloons under the Blast Box and the first play spins the spinner to see how many pins they have to hammer into the box. Each player needs to make sure they choose the right spot to put the pin in so that they don’t POP a balloon and you keep going until the first balloon pops and then that player is eliminated. The player that successfully does not pop a balloon is the WINNER and is the Blast Box Master … until the next round! My strategy (shhhh): start with the corners 😉

This game is very easy to play, minimal set up (when you use the balloon clips that is) and the kids love the thrill of not knowing when the balloon is going to pop.

What’s a Stikbot you ask? I certainly had the same question and to be quite honest, I was worried I wasn’t going to be overly impressed with this toy.

I’ve seen Stikbots around toy stores, but I just assumed they were a toy kids can stick on smooth surfaces and that’s about it (meh right). I was completely wrong in my assumption as there is a whole other part to these movable figurines. The new Stikbot Studio Pro has arrived and kids can take their imagination and creativity to a whole new level.

Here’s how itworks:First, download the Zing Stikbot Studio app onto your phone (I was hoping you could use your tablet but if you want to use the tri-pod they provide you this is not an option as it only fits a phone). After spending some time clicking on the app buttons trying to get familiar with what you can do within the app, set up the green or blue stage (very easy to do – insert slits are pretty visible) that is provided. What’s the difference between the blue and green stage: if you have a green figure, you will not be able to see it on the green screen so flip it around and use the blue stage)

Set your phone up on the tri-pod in front of the stage, open the app and either find a pre-loaded scene your little one wants to use to create their animated video or use of your own pictures as the back drop. Have your little one set up their Stikbots on the stage (they have suction cups on their hands and feet) using the added prop box (creating a 3-D effect) and take still photo’s. Once the photo’s have all been uploaded, the app will stitch them together into a film with built-in music and sound effect options. My kids had a blast once we figured it all out!

New, born into the Stikbot family are the Stikbot Pets! Dogs, cats, cow, horse, gorilla, bear and monkeys will help add some extra fun to your kids videos!

Where to Buy: Toys R Us and WalmartStikbot Studio Pro: $25.00Stikbot Pets: $5.99

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!Thank you to our friends at Zing they are giving away a Stikbot Studio Pro (comes with two Stikbots) to 1 lucky reader! The contest is open to US and Canadian residents. Here’s how to enter:a Rafflecopter giveaway

Is it just me or is the “family gaming” aisle in toy stores extremely overwhelming?! Jam packed with hundreds of different games, I literally pace back and forth looking at all the titles and then most the time I walk away empty handed and frustrated because I just can’t seem make a decision.

At one point I brought my 6 year old to the store to have him pick a game (I thought maybe it would be easier for him to choose) … BIG MISTAKE! He picked out a game he saw on one of the YouTube channels and after I couldn’t get it to work, I instantly regretted my decision (and the money I spent on it). You live and learn!

If you are like me and are overwhelmed in that aisle and just looking for a recommendation for some rainy day games, after-camp games, quiet time games or witching hour games, I have two fun one’s that my kids had a blast playing!

Safe BreakerObject of the Game: to break open the safe by cracking the code and breaking into the safe to collect the coins. Win by being the first to collect 5 coins or 3 diamond coins but make sure you don’t get caught by the police.

How to Play: lay out all the cards with the numbers facing up. Have one person pick the first card, turn the dial to the chosen number, next use the fingerprint scanner to test the number and if the light shows green the safe door will open and if the light shows red listen through the spy listening gear to hear a secret clue as to whether the code is higher or lower than the number chosen (there are sounds which prompt you). When you crack the code, the safe door will open and coins will spit out. Don’t be fooled though, sometimes you could break open the safe and there are no coins inside or you could get the alarm coin and you have to give back all your coins! Keep playing until 5 coins or 3 diamond coins have been collected. Careful though, if you hear a siren that means the police have been alerted and you lose a turn.

Where to Buy: Toys R Us and Mastermind in Canada, Target and Walmart in the USA
Price: $30.00 CAD

Break Free

Object of the Game: be the first to pick the lock on your hand cuffs and break free of them!

How to Play: there are three maze levels to choose from (easy, intermediate and challenging). Put the chosen maze into the handcuff, attach the handcuff to all players wrist. Using the lock pick, players must try to get through the hidden maze by moving the lock left, right, up and down to release the handcuff and escape as quickly as possible. The winner gets a coloured token to match the colour maze they chose. There are points on the back of each token and the player with the most points at the end of the three rounds wins!

Where to Buy: Toys R Us and Mastermind in Canada, Target and Walmart in the USA
Price: $25 CAD

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAYThanks to our wonderful friends at Yulu, they are giving away both games to 1 lucky reader. The contest is open to both Canadian and US residents. Here’s how to enter:a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’m pretty sure there is not 1 child out there that doesn’t love bubbles! I mean what is not to like, you pour liquid into a bowl and put a wand through it, blow and magically these pretty coloured bubbles appear.

Now I am going to age myself here, but when I was growing up the only kind of bubbles you could buy were the little plastic containers which came with a little wand that you had to stick your fingers into the liquid to search for and with this little plastic wand you could MAYBE get a good stream of 3 or 4 bubbles in a row from one blowing breath (you know exactly what I am talking about). Obviously, I was happier than anything just having bubbles to play with because I didn’t know any different … BUT NOW … you have battery operated bubble machines that consistently spit out hundreds of bubbles at once!!!!

– makes super-sized awesome bubbles– easy to use– batteries NOT included– bubbles are non-toxic (good to know because my kids were trying to catch the bubbles with their mouths … i’m not joking nor can i explain this)
– put the machine on a flat surface, push the power button and let the machine do all the work while your kids can run around chasing bubbles
– includes an 8oz bottle of bubbles to get you started
– I would HIGHLY recommend buying the GIANT Gazillion 2L Bubble Solution (for $9.99) as you will go through the little bottle very quickly

Retails: $26.99Where to Buy: Walmart, Toys “R”

Gazillion Giant PowerWand

– kids love products they can run around with, this is just the product!– makes GIANT fun shaped bubbles– easy assembly– pour the bubble solution into the tray, dip the wand in the solution and just push the button– includes a 4oz bottle of bubbles (again I would recommend buying the 2L bottle as you will go through this little bottle very quickly)– does NOT include batteries

Retails: $14.99Where to Buy: Walmart, Toys “R”

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!Thanks to our wonderful friends from Gazillion Bubbles, they are giving away a Gazillion Giant Power Wand to 1 lucky Babylish Advice reader. Must be a resident of Canada. Here’s how to enter:a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now to time to get outside and play with Super Sized Gazillion BubblesT.
xo

Everyone is looking for the new hottest toy for their kids and Thumb Chucks has earned it’s spot on the shelves!

Test your skills and show them off learning how to control the roll. Now, this is not an easy task, but the more you practice the better you will get and well if your mini just can’t get the hang of it no worries … they are just a fun toy for the kids to play around with.

My big guy truly had no idea what to do with them when we opened the package (nor did I to be quite honest) but then we watched the Thumb Chucks video and he was really into trying to figure them out. I mean, I was pretty mesmerized by the video – it’s truly amazing the tricks people can do with these but this is no easy task! I have told my mini he needs to keep practicing and he will get better and better. He still hasnt got the full hang of it. I can tell you that my boys had a blast in their dark room swinging these around! They got such a kick out of them.

Fun Features:
– they glow in the dark using their montion-sensitive LEDs inside the balls
– small enough and lightweight enough the kids can keep them in their pockets
– endless trick combos
– there’s an app that kids can download that includes over 20 tutorials that teaches users amazing tricks
– (for the older kids) the app has an easy to use recording feature with built-in special effects to create cool videos
– post your kids (or your) mad thumb chuck skills on social media and hashtag #thumbchucks for a chance to be rewarded with custom belts
– colours: red, orange, green and blue
– you can switch out the balls so you have different colour combinations